Long Gull Pond in Stephenville Crossing: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Long Gull Pond belongs to Stephenville Crossing, Newfoundland and Labrador. The bank gives way to pine and birch. Surface area runs to roughly 2.72 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The shoreline runs about 16 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Stephenville Crossing is the closest place, 7 km off. Stephenville is 11 km and Kippens 15 km. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Long Gull Pond

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Stephenville Crossing records list American eel, bull-rout and grubby among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Long Gull Pond for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -8°C in February up to 16°C in August. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late April to early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Long Gull Pond follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Little Long Pond, 4.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Long Gull Pond before loading the car.